The Detroit Red Wings have locked up forward Lucas Raymond for the future. Raymond and Detroit agreed on an 8-year deal worth $64.6 million.
Raymond has blossomed into a star and was huge down the stretch last season. The Wings failed to secure a playoff spot, but Raymond did everything in his power, ending up as the Red Wings' best player the last two months.
Raymond was drafted by Detroit with the fourht pick in the 2020 NHL draft and has lived up to the hype. After a fantastic rookie season, he dropped off a bit during his sophomore season. He didn't let that get to him as he came back with a vengeance.
His ability to create offense is close to that of captain Dylan Larkin and his shot is one of the best on the team.
The Detroit Red Wings have extended Lucas Raymond to a long term deal
Last season, Raymond had a breakout season, posting 31 goals and 41 assists for 72 points in 82 games. For his career, he has produced 71 goals and 103 assists for 174 points in 238 games.
He was named to the NHL All-Rookie First Team in the 2021-22 season after posting 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points in 82 games. In his last five games dating back to last season, he has five goals and four assists for nine points.
Raymond earned this deal during the second half of last season. While the Red Wings were in search of a playoff spot, he took over as the main offensive weapon and scored some massive goals during the last month of the season.
He was a force on the ice, taking over games as the games intensified with importance. he is considered one of the cornerstones of the franchise with, defenseman Moritz Seider, as the team continues to improve on the ice.
Earlier in the day, the Red Wings and general manager Steve Yzerman signed another player to a contract extension. That player is Jonatan Berggren and the deal comes in at a one-year deal with an annual average value (AAV) of $825,000.
The prove-it deal came as he was trying to crack the Red Wings lineup full-time. While in the Detroit lineup, he has produced offensively and has shown he can handle the play in the NHL. However, he has spent most of his career in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Last season, Berggren split time with the Red Wings and Griffins. In 12 games with Detroit, he scored two goals and four assists for six points. With the Griffins, he posted 24 goals and 32 assists for 56 points in 53 games.